Water.. or no water?

[Jenny]

I can't remember what course i was doing but a tutor raised the question whether having a jug/glass of water for the client in the counselling room was a good or bad thing...

.. my initial reaction was 'good'. Because it shows the client that the therapist is thinking about their wellbeing etc.

But the tutor raised the point that the water could be used as a distraction by the client! Like if things get difficult/raw then the client can just reach for some water... and even more philosophically, the act of drinking water could be used to push down emotions instead of allowing them to come up as needed.

So do you have access to water in the therapy room? If so do you drink it while in there? And are you aware of using it as soom form of distraction?

I have never had water in the therapy room and i think i like it that way.. otherwise i'd want to pee and that would raise a whole load of more questions! lol :)

[brighteyes]

I do have water available if I would like to have it, but I haven't as of yet with the exception of one session where we walked outside in the heat after a particularly rough session. It was also a lengthy time. I am not sure it would be necessary for a regular session, but it is nice if you know the option is there. I guess you could always bring your own if you thought you may need it.

[NoodleM]

When I first started CBT I always brought a bottle of water with me until my therapist realised that I used it as a distraction when things were getting tough! After that she asked me not to bring water into the room. :mad:
She was right though, I was just using it as an avoidance tactic.

[Daisychain]

I don't have access to water in the therapy room and I like it that way because it would definitely cause me to use it as a distraction. I've actually wondered why there is none but after reading this thread, I now know why.

[Claire]

I've never had water offered during therapy.

If I know I have a difficult session coming up then I take water with me but it's purely to avoid anything I don't want to answer. It sounds stupid but sometimes when I take water during therapy it's like I'm trying to 'drown' my thoughts to stop them from being said aloud. I'm a terrible fidget in therapy & I like to keep my hands busy so having a bottle of water is good as it stops me playing with my rings or invisible threads.

One thing I have noticed about my therapist is she always leaves a big box of tissues right beside my chair. Makes me wonder if she wants or expects me to cry, but it's been nearly 2 years & I haven't yet but everytime I go in I can't help but stare at these tissues. I don't know why it bothers me but I wish they weren't there. Maybe she is subconsciously saying that it's ok to cry? Who knows?

[mikeintx]

I sometimes bring water with me. I have never been offered it but since I tend to talk alot and its for an hour my mouth gets soooo dry lol so I like to have it. I keep it on the floor next to my chair tho so I only grab it when im thirsty.

[sheep]

In my first counselling situation, the counsellor used to offer me tea or water or coffee, and yes I used to use it as a distraction, or to remove the 'lump' from my throat. I would drink deep especially when on the verge of tears etc.

[TDM]

I've never ever been offered water. I can see why it would be offered though, but then it would give me something extra to fiddle with.

[shrinknightmare]

mine always has a cup of water waiting for me, and when it's finished she even offers to get me another, but I say no, but once she did. She also has mints.

[Jenny]

I've had 3 sessions of (psychodynamic) therapy with someone now and I noticed that she has water but i don't. I'm not sure how I feel about this... i mean, to me it feels a little unequal. If i can cope 50 minutes without a sip of water - and i'm the one doing the talking - then so can she. But i guess normally i should be lying down on the couch (so far i've been sitting, facing her) so normally i wouldn't be able to see if she was drinking or not. Hmm

[Old Wolf]

It always amazes me why a lot of people always do this thing where they only see the negative in things. Rather than say... I don't have water so why should she...it would surely be better to say....it's good that she has a drink, I would also like to have one?
I also do the negative thing a lot of the time but have learnt to recognise when I am doing it and then do the turn around. I always provide fresh drinking water and TWO glasses - one for the client AND one for me!! Just seems like a considerate and well mannered approach but there.

[Jenny]

I'd rather say 'i see she has a glass of water but i don't. I don't want one and i dont think she should have one either' :)

[Old Wolf]

Why?
OW

[mel]

I'd rather say 'i see she has a glass of water but i don't. I don't want one and i dont think she should have one either' :)
Envy. And something that psychodynamic therapists will want to work with :yuk:
Envy, especially primitive envy is very very painful.

You can either mention it to her and work with it, or you can ignore it and by your own water in a bottle and drink it infront of her. I would also bring some snack with me. Peanuuts or something like that or pop corn. So I would have my own water... AND I would have popcorn something she HSANT got.
As you can probably tell... I am still not daring to work on my envy. :yuk:

On another note, some say, and I agree, that any kind of drink can be used to push feelings down while in therapy. My ex counsellor always had a jug of water and a glass for me and herself. Whenever things got uncomfy she reached for the drink...

[Cherrypie]

Hi everyone...good thread this..

As a client I always had water and due to feeling highly anxious and then thirsty so I really needed it. I would feel deprived had I not been 'allowed' it..in fact I am sure I could not have continued without it.

I find it odd that Jenny's therapist has it and does not offer Jenny any.. does just seem rude! Personally though I am a little more with ow on this in that I would not want to take it from her as she may need it for any number of reasons for herself but I would want equality for sure.

I so love that even this small thing...water or no water.. brings us all such different experiences..and so much learning! I find it absolutely fascinating!

xCherrypie